NIT returns with busy Saturday

NEGAUNEE — Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Negaunee Invitational Tournament has returned.

The 50th annual edition of the NIT was held in 2014, then put in mothballs for five years before being revived by the Negaunee High School girls softball program this winter.

Saturday marked the return of the tourney to its old home, the Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium at Lakeview Elementary School in Negaunee.

Games were held in the six-team Class D and four-team women’s divisions, with championship games scheduled for this afternoon.

The women’s final is set for 1:45 p.m. and the “D” championship at 3 p.m., according to tourney official Randy Carlson, also the Miners’ head softball coach.

He added that next weekend will feature six teams in Class B and nine in Class C.

Saturday’s play opened with a pair of overtime games in Class D.

In the first, the Sky Hookers edged Dressler’s Mechanical 70-68 as Jacob Adriano led the winners with 22 points while Austin Forbes poured in 38 for Dressler’s.

Another OT period was required for The Finns to ease past the Lake Linden-Tamarack City Blue Lakes 74-69. Paul Torola and Ross Kinnunen paced The Finns with 17 points each while LL’s Arthur Lyons had 27.